Rainbow Summer
by SweetieLove
Summary: Describing Gwen's summer was like describing the colors of the rainbow without using the words red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. In short, it was magical. Secret Santa Gift for Symphonic Fantasia! [Gwen x Vaughn, yes, you read it right.]


**A/N:** Here's a few things I should clarify in this story. First, the Mineral Town's villagers are the ones I consider the "eldest" generation so I put in the rest of the other ones as later generations (prepare thyself for shybutmoreopen!Mary) . Second, I made this in the premise that a) the segments can be read backwards or forwards, b) the narration of the relationship goes backwards and c) I used the colors of the rainbow as a theme. I'm not sure if I pulled this one off decently so please expect some OOC moments and abrupt flow in narration. Lastly, this is my gift for **Symphonic Fantasia**. I'm basically writing from scratch here since I haven't played MM and SI in a long time so I basically molded somewhere where I'm comfortable to write in. Hope you didn't mind the length because I'm sure you're the type who'd love to get this pairing more stories in the fandom!

Enjoy reading and don't forget to leave a review!

* * *

"You're late, Vaughn."

Gwen lowered herself from her position on the lowest branch of the tree. She'd been looking at the fields the whole afternoon, waiting patiently for the cowboy to come at their designated time. Tying her hair back up in a neat ponytail, she walked up to him with a steady gaze, keeping her emotions in place.

"Geez," Gwen pouted, "how many times are you going to leave a girl waiting like that?"

Vaughn grunted in response. "At least I didn't leave you waiting in the cold."

"Save your romantic flair for later," Gwen pointed him to the picnic blanket laid right near the tree she'd been sitting on for the past few hours, "we've got a Fireworks festival to enjoy tonight."

"Tell me again how you dragged me into this?" The silver-haired man said as he laid himself down on the blanket and crossed his arms under his head.

"Summer won't be complete without fireworks," she sighed. The wind breeze whipped her backwards, a rush of warm air enveloping her face. She turned her head to the side to face the cowboy, only to see that his hat covered his face. A quick glance at her wrist watch told her that the festival would start any time now.

"Hey, Vaughn, I've got something to ask you." She said softly, hugging her knees closer to her chest. The basket of food she prepared still remained untouched. She wanted to reach out for a sandwich though she didn't feel the least bit hungry. Screams of the countdown by the beach had begun even as she took in a sigh.

Aside from putting his hat on the side, Vaughn didn't move much from his place. Gwen took it as a sign to probe further.

"I heard you don't plan on coming back for the competition anymore since your local rancher will take your place. Are the rumors true?"

There was silence. Screams counting down to the last minute were all that could be heard from the grassy hill they were sitting on.

"Yes."

Gwen had been bracing herself for that answer but it seemed that no amount of preparing can ever account for the real thing. Though she stared at the sky with her ruby orbs wide open, tears still slipped past through her smiling mask.

"I'm going to miss my partner, though." Vaughn added after a while.

That sudden statement shocked Gwen enough for her to stop crying. She let the words sink in, savoring the last bits of summer she had with the cowboy. She wiped her tears away and scooted closer to him. She took his hand and, thankfully, he gripped it in return as well though she found it irritating that he still had that cold expression on his face.

Nevertheless, the blonde found his hands warm and comforting. The screams intensified as it reached down to the last five seconds before all the lights went out.

_Five!_

_Four!_

"Thank you for a wonderful summer…"

_Three!_

_Two!_

"…partner."

**One**!

It was the color of flames raining across the night sky, showing the world a marvelous image of a phoenix before being dazzled with other vibrant images. It was the color of the grip on each other's hands, interdependent for security of one another. It was the color of across Gwen's face as the cowboy offered a chaste kiss on her lips.

It was the color Vaughn had the pleasure to engulf his own eyes in, seeing fire and passion and a whirlwind of emotions in a sea that burned on and on and on.

Red.

* * *

Sometimes, no words were needed.

They were on the beach this time, resting after a good race across the town. Both had their feet bare across the sand. Gwen, still wearing her rider's attire, was pulling her supposed opponent down the shore. 'What is it now?' the boy would usually grunt out while the blonde would respond with a meek 'It's a surprise' as she continued to pull his hand along the waves.

Only when they reached the edges of the beach did Vaughn realize that his friend had grown significantly quieter the farther they went on. He placed his shoes away and looked at the sight before them.

It was a sunset that still sprouted out rays of orange and gold, bathing the sky in warm, cozy gradients of red, pink, and purple as evening drew near. The water, though crystal blue in the morning, was a hue of solid orange as the waves tickled their toes. Faint aromas of salt and flowers combined wafted through their noses and slightly caressed their sun-kissed skin.

"Look," Gwen shakily said, "I… wanted to thank you for your help, okay? We may… have gone down at the wrong footing at first… b-but it all worked out in the end, r-right?"

"Just get to the point." The cowboy coolly replied.

"Alright!" Gwen replied back, her face redder than ever, "Can you please go down on one knee?"

"What?" he snapped back, "Are you serious?"

"Come on, it's just a simple task."

"You brought me all the way here just for me to kneel in front of you like a queen?"

"Do it already, will you?!"

With a reluctant groan, Vaughn got down in one knee in front of the girl. He was about to retort that was looking stupid when he felt something warm caress his cheek. It was soft and gentle and only when Gwen pulled back did he realize that she had kissed him first.

"I was about to do that after inviting you to the Fireworks festival next week but I figured you wouldn't shut up so…"

"Idiot."

"Hey!"

"Be thankful I'm going to accompany a dummy like you to the festival tomorrow." He stood and picked his shoes up before starting to walk away. Though Gwen couldn't react right away at him accepting the invitation, she soon did as he challenged that the last one to reach the Inn would be the one to bring the food.

Maybe their whole Summer had been like that, a throw of awkwardness and fighting and stubborn name-calling. Regardless, deep down they still cared for each other. They fought and laughed and somehow got to like each other along the way, the darkness and light moments growing as they went.

Orange was the last color Gwen saw before chasing the cowboy, the color of happiness glowing across her face.

* * *

Flashes. That's what it felt like. Flashes.

It all felt like a blur.

She was there sitting on her horse, Arion, wide-eyed and shocked as everybody else. Who knew… who knew that it would come to this.

She won. She actually won.

All those long hours spent doing nothing but race across the town, all those daily exercises they did to prepare their bodies for the event, all the sweat and blood and sleepless nights of worrying, all those times she and Vaughn had fought over on how to properly take care of horses…

Her head snapped back up to reality.

People from five different villages were cheering as the other horses reached the finish line right behind her. Music was being played even louder as confetti started falling to the ground. Flashes of silver and gold and red and blue and white started raining down on her, blocking her vision. Gwen struggled, desperate to see if he had made it. The Mayor was announcing something over the microphone but she couldn't even pay attention to what he was saying.

Until she heard that unevenly-toned whistle.

And there he was, patting Lightning, his steed, by the stables.

Mayor Thomas was already about to hand her the trophy and medal on her horse when she guided Arion over to the stables. She quickly got off and quickly noticed that Vaughn's horse was not as fatigued as before. Lightning's breaths came in a bit heavier compared to the rest of them, but he was still in good shape. If anything, he was up for another round.

"Lightning… made it." Gwen stood, in awe.

The silver-haired cowboy smirked. "Of course he would, he's my horse. Lack of strength isn't going to stop him."

Gwen patted down Lightning's mane and smiled. The horse did not move an inch though it allowed Gwen to continue patting its head. "It's your horse, alright."

"Quit patting my horse and go put the medal on yours," he said. The cowboy lowered his hat and went off to fetch water when he suddenly stopped in his tracks. "Congratulations on your win."

"Thanks," the blonde chirped as she started sprinting for the podium, "but this was your win, too!"

Gwen ran back to the podium, high-fiving an energetic May (despite coming second to the last), a saddened Jack (because he lost the bet), a supportive Kathy (who loved the fact that her bronze medal matched her horse's color) and a smiling Ash (who she regretted getting only to meet the day before).

As Gwen held onto the trophy tight in her arms, all she could think of was the rush of energy flowing through her and that the hope that the day would never end.

Because it was all yellow.

* * *

If there was anything riders loved more than their horses, it was competing against each other.

Hands gripped tightly on the ropes, three ferocious riders battled to the top as they raced across the track. The sun was out but clouds provided good shade, lessening the heat that made them sweat all over. It was a good thing that Claire, the farmer of the land they were racing on, didn't mind using it as a racing field for all the riders in the competition.

Aside from the dirt starting to cover on Gwen's legs, it was the giant field surrounding the farm. Trees, flowers, herbs, and, most of all, grass. It was the scent of grass on a sunny day that always reminded her of home. She's usually practice with Arion, her beloved horse, every time she had her breaks. On days like these, she should let Arion graze for a while…

"You're falling behind, blondie!"

"The bet's still on, you know."

The blonde snapped out of her reverie and noticed that her opponents, Kathy, of Waffle Island, and Jack, the rancher of the nearby Forget-Me-Not Valley, were growing quite a distance from her. Urging her horse to go faster, Gwen focused on closing the gap between them.

Thirty meters. Twenty meters. Ten meters.

Gwen could feel the summer breeze tickling her skin as she focused her eyes on the track. She knotted the belt on the saddle tighter, showing that she was starting to get serious. Her eyes focused on the two riders in front of her and decided that she come in from behind them.

With one last thug, she willed for Arion to go faster, to surpass the two...

…and she did.

But something was not right. Gwen quickly pulled Arion to slow down and to approach the two she had just overtaken. Kathy was breathing deeply, clutching her shirt as if she was gasping for air while Jack had laid himself down on the back of his horse, mouth wide open, breathing heavily as well. It was only then that Gwen noticed where her horse had been previously standing on.

The finish line.

"I win!" Gwen cheered.

"Con…gratulations," Kathy breathed out, "on beating Jack's streak."

"The bet…is off," Jack faintly said.

"Kathy beat your streak of five wins a while ago and I just beat your present streak now."

"A promise is a promise… right, Jack? Just be happy that May's busy helping her grandpa right now."

"I demand a rematch!"

Gwen was about to protest that they should save energy for tomorrow's contest when she noticed that the fourth competitor, Vaughn, was nowhere in sight. They barely had a day left before the competition and he was nowhere in sight.

She quickly got off Arion and led him to the nearest patch of grass. "Stay here. I'll be back." She gave a quick path and ran off towards the mountain.

"Not that I should care about him that much…" Gwen thought. She'd only raced with him once and it was the exhibition match that took place a week ago. She got to battle with all the other competitors from different towns but she never got a chance to have one with him. He liked to be himself, she understood that, but practicing alone would be a major setback for a regional competition such as this.

Gwen suddenly found herself staring at a beautiful lake just past hill going to the famous Goddess's Spring. Blooming Pink Cat flowers filled the scenery with its floral fragrance and sprinkled the meadow with a burst of color. Though she found the view a pleasant surprise, what she found more shocking was the fact that the person she was looking for was right there sitting by his wounded horse.

Wait… his wounded horse?!

"What happened?" Gwen screamed as she jogged over to where the two were.

"Stop screaming. He's fine," Vaughn replied as he stood up to look at his unexpected, and certainly unwelcome, visitor.

Gwen took another look at the horse. "You practically wiped him out!"

"He can handle it," was all Vaughn said before sitting on a nearby stump.

"It's a day before the competition, Vaughn," she huffed out, "This is not the time to be taking risks with your horse!"

"Tsk," he grunted, "like you care."

The cowboy was really getting on her nerves now. "Of course I care! I probably care about your horse more than you do yourself!"

Vaughn stood up from his stump and proceeded to walk towards the bridge leading to the mountain. "I'm taking a walk."

As soon as the silver-haired rider was out, Gwen let out a groan of frustration. She will never understand the guy!

Gwen wanted to run off and give him a good slap when she saw his horse starting to get up. Despite its bandages and struggle for breath, it wanted to have another go. She tried settling the horse down since it needed more rest, but it didn't seem to pay her any mind. Suddenly, she understood what Vaughn had said. She jogged up to where its owner walked off to apologize. The blonde found him laying on the meadow with his covering his eyes.

Gwen sat down beside him, spreading her legs and putting her hands behind her back so she can lean in to stare at the afternoon sky.

"I'm sorry about what I said. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that."

Silence.

"The truth is," she exhaled, "I'm actually afraid of pushing everyone too hard. That in the process of exerting too much effort, we might yield more damage to ourselves rather than success. And I'm particularly sensitive about the horses as well since they're very loyal to us riders."

"Idiot."

Gwen felt the beginnings of a migraine about to take place. "What did you say?"

Vaughn still didn't remove his hat but he continued to speak. "You're an idiot. Horses are stubborn. They want to push themselves further in order to be faster and stronger, too. They want to grow as great horses. That trust is placed onto riders so that they can grow together."

"But isn't that risky for a horse like yours? I heard that his heart wasn't fully developed so putting too much strain on him could pose a huge danger."

"The hell with that kind of mentality."

"What are you talking about now?!"

"You know what's stopping you from beating the rancher, Jack, right now?"

"Why'd you suddenly change topics?"

Vaughn grunted before moving his hat to the top of his head, "It's because you lack confidence in your horse."

The truth felt like a huge slap to Gwen but, this time, it didn't leave a huge sting. Instead, she felt more motivated than ever. It was her wake-up call that growing is all about the ups and downs. She laid down beside him, taking in the scent of lemons and oranges emanating from the ground.

Gwen started her day with gratitude that she was blessed with great rivals and she was going to end the day with gratitude that she learned a valuable lesson today.

"Thank you," was all she could say as she looked around the trees, the grass, the little leaves on the flowers, the grasshoppers, and the color of her trousers.

Green.

* * *

Mineral Town decided to hold a party to celebrate the success of the exhibition show that was held yesterday at the Square. Since the decorations were still up for the upcoming competition, the Mayor chose their beach as an alternate venue at the moment.

Soon, the blonde found herself surrounded with showers of welcome treats and souvenirs that she'd take home herself. She found children playing, lovers kissing and friends goofing off with each other.

By the shack she found Jack reconciling with one of his buddies with a purple bandana. Over there near the shore, Kathy was soaking her toes while talking to the resident salesman. She once told Gwen that it resembled someone she was close to in Waffle Island, too! The red-eyed beauty shook her head as she high-fived the youngest rider in the competition, May as they headed for the barbecue.

With all the commotion and fun going around, Gwen was sure everyone would be laughing and smiling the whole day. But she was wrong.

By the pier, Vaughn stood looking at the distance.

Gwen wanted to bring him on with the festivities, that he was one of the reasons they were holding the party in the first place, that he should be having fun, too.

"Hey Vaughn! This party's for you, too!" She screamed before trying to make her way towards him.

But she saw it. Even if it was just for a split-second, she saw it.

Vaughn smiled.

Gwen decided then not to interfere with his tranquil state. Who knows what's going on in that head of his? She'll drag him in later when he's done with his brooding. For now, Gwen decided to just let him be. She'll down the barbecue and laugh with the other Mineral Town girls and play the games and have fun and make people smile.

No one in that party deserved to have a face so blue.

* * *

"Do you have anything regarding horses?"

"First shelf on the right, third row. The black leathered one should cover the basics but the entire row is dedicated for the equestrians."

"Uh, thanks."

Gwen decided to head for the library so she could look up books that weren't available in Flower Bud Village but she was really going there for advice. May told her that the best person to seek for advice was their local librarian, Mary.

At first, Gwen wanted advice regarding the competition but then her thoughts wandered off to how to spend the summer in Mineral Town and what to get for Bob and what the silver-haired cowboy was up to.

"I wonder what it is like to break open a closed person's heart." Gwen thought out loud.

"It's not easy, dear," said a warm, gentle voice.

Gwen looked up from her book to see the librarian sitting beside her, hands placed on the book she closed.

"I'm sorry if I startled you. I thought that maybe you'd ask question about Mineral Town's horses and I'd be embarrassed if I had no idea about them."

Listening to Mary, Gwen found her voice soothing yet firm, like a mother teaching a lesson to her own child.

"Is it hard?"

"Especially if said person is hot-headed, yes."

"Does cooking help?"

"Cooking great food always helps," Mary giggled, "Do you cook a lot?"

"I sure do!"

For the rest of the day, red orbs locked in dark onyx gems, questions and answers were tossed back in forth faster and harder than a tennis match. One moment there'd be a topic about a recipe Gwen would like to try, the next it would be Mary asking what life would be like Flower Bud.

As Gwen listened on to the things the librarian had to say, she felt these nuggets of wisdom flowing through her, a sense of devotion taking over her senses. Despite that, she didn't feel overpowered or suppressed; rather, she felt that it made her stronger.

But all good things must come to an end.

The two spent the day learning about each other, never getting bored with the topics they've been discussing throughout their conversation. Books the blonde went to the library for were all but ignored on the corner by the table, only to be replaced by tea and cookies Mary had gotten from their home next door.

"Looks like it's about time to close the shop," Mary said as she glanced over the clock, "Do you have anything else to ask me?"

"Well…"

"Go on, dear."

"What is Summer like here in Mineral Town?"

Mary closed her eyes at the question and thought for a moment. The whole day had been spent mostly on her visitor asking her about Mineral Town with her inquiring every now and then about Flower Bud. The last question Gwen asked had her thrown in a loop and led her to thinking too much.

"That is quite… a hard question to answer," Mary said, adjusting her glasses while slowly recollecting her own memories. She got up to return the books they both got while slowly cleaning out the tea.

"It's alright," Gwen stood up, heading for the door, "Thank you for the time, then, Ms. Mary. I learned a lot today."

Mary smiled, "Thank you for coming here, too. But I should tell you one thing before you leave."

The blonde was already about to step out but stopped when she heard the Mary's words.

"What is it, Ms. Mary?"

They say that colors come in various shades and tones and hues. Whether in the land, air, or sea, variations come in different sets. They're found in people's appearances, or transformations from one object to another, or maybe they're only found when someone looks hard enough since interpretations vary from person to person.

If Gwen had to describe the color indigo, it would be Mary's voice, the strongest shade showing up in the last words she told her before Gwen walked away from the library.

"But if there's anything I could say about Summer here in Mineral Town, it's that it is _magical_."

* * *

It's funny how everything could change in one moment.

Gwen had just stepped onto the sandy shores of Mineral Town as a participant in the upcoming annual regional Horse-Racing Festival held during the Summer. Not only was it her first time to see town, it was also her first time to compete in a contest like this. Though Gwen had experience won numerous times in her Flower Bud, she wasn't sure if she could keep up with riders from other regions.

"Let's see," Gwen fuddled with the map on her hands, "I should head for the Inn first so I can get settled."

"You don't mind another person tagging along?"

Gwen locked eyes with another blonde beside her. She had her hair tied up in a ponytail similar to hers and wore a rider's outfit just fit for the summer.

"Sure," Gwen replied, "I could use a fellow horse-lover around here. The name's Gwen." She held out her hand towards the stranger to which she also gracefully accepted.

"You can call me Kathy. I came all the way from Waffle Island. You?"

"A bit up north in Flower Bud Village. Since Mineral Town is a bit far away from where I live, there hasn't been a chance for us to visit here unless it's something important."

"I guess the same goes for me, too. Add in the fact that I work as a waitress with hardly any breaks and you've got a person trapped in a cage."

"Let's hope we don't get lost around here, then."

"I don't think you will," a chirpy voice added, "Mineral Town's pretty small."

"You ladies need any help?"

The blondes turned to see a petite girl with braided black hair and almond-shaped eyes. Though she had a small figure, her arms and legs showed signs of practiced handling when it comes to animals. Beside her was a tall, tanned man that had matching brown eyes and hair that escaped from the stuffiness of the cap placed on his head.

"I'm May, the local animal rancher here in Mineral Town," the little girl said.

"And your?" Gwen asked the man beside May.

"Jack. Farmer of Forget-Me-Not Valley, the village just a bit through the forest."

As the group exchanged pleasantries to one another, Gwen couldn't help but notice that there was a lone person standing by the pier. Though he gave off a just-leave-me-alone kind of vibe, she couldn't help but be drawn to his presence.

"That's Vaughn from Sunshine Islands," Jack piped up as he noticed her staring at the cowboy.

"He's a bit of a loner," May added, "but I heard from Doctor Trent that's he actually nice."

"He pretty much reminds me of a certain waiter in my town actually. Acts gruff and all that since he's not fond of opening up to anyone," Kathy said.

As Gwen heard their sentiments, she felt her own feet moving towards the pier. Maybe it was just her friendly nature, maybe it was because she wanted to know her competition, or maybe it was just her stubborn self who keeps denying that she's being drawn to him but somehow, she suddenly found herself standing beside the guy, who was pretty much facing away from her.

"Hi there. I'm Gwen from Flower Bud Village." She held out her hand for him with a cheerful smile.

The silver-haired cowboy only ignored her.

"Pft," the blonde muttered to herself, "I guess he really isn't the type to open up easily." She decided to just walk away and head to the Inn with her newly-found acquaintances when she heard him call her. She turned around with skeptical eyes.

"Vaughn. Sunshine Islands."

As the cowboy said those words, Gwen took in the sight of him facing her. He's silver hair seemed to sparkle under the sunlight, making the rays bounce light across his face. He also had tanned skin and well-built muscles around the arms and legs, signs that he was clearly an animal care-taker.

But what took her in were his eyes.

His eyes, like amethyst orbs that seemed to be on fire on one second. She saw it burning, maybe sparkling, as the colors danced across her eyes. She somehow felt like staring someone with nobility, a majestic prince that was disguising himself as a simple rancher.

Gwen didn't notice that those eyes soon portrayed an annoyed look on her.

"Don't you know it's rude to stare at someone's face for too long?" he said.

Well, don't you know it's not wrong to actually be polite about it, Gwen thought. With a quick apology and good luck for the race, she marched off to her acquaintances that were beginning to make their way out of the beach.

Later that day, as she was eating dinner at the Inn, she couldn't help but continue staring at the glass that was served to her. It was served to the brim with grape wine, one of Mineral Town's specialties. They said that after the bitterness you first taste once you take a sip, the sweet flavor pops out and tickles your tongue with its spicy flavor.

"And it has such a mesmerizing color, too," Gwen said as she picked up and swirled the glass. She was drowning herself once more in the eyes that seemed to burn before her just this afternoon at the beach.

Violet.


End file.
